Automatic piano-player.



No. 663,368. Patented Dec. 4, |900. E. M. SKINNER.

AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

(Applicat'ion filed Har. 21, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST M. SKINNER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC PIANO-PLAYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,368, dated December4, 1900.

Application filed March 2l, 1,900. Serial No. 9,560. @lo model.)

To n/ZZ whom '1725 may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNEST M. SKINNER,y

a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, (Dorchester,) in thecounty of Suit'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new anduseful Improvementsin Automatic Piano- Players, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention resides in certain improvements in automatic piano-players,the object of thel same being to provide means whereby greater facilityin expression in devices of this kind may be obtained.

The invention consists in novel means for accenting particular notes,and I provide that in the group of notes struck at the same time anynumber of them may be actuated with greater `force than the others,thereby giving to automatic piano-players a possibility and range inexpression possessed heretofore only by the human hand. Theindividualizing of the notes is accomplished by suddenlyincreasing theair-tension in the air or vacuum chamber containing the primarypneumatics for an instant of time so short that in the most rapid musicany one note may be selected and acted upon so quickly that thepreceding` and following notes will not be alfected.

ln carrying out my invention l employ a low-tension bellows for normallyoperating the keys, a high-tension bellows for operating the keyscorresponding to the notes to be accented, and automatic means throwninto operation by the music-sheet for cutting` in the high-tensionbellows and cutting out the lowtension bellows.

The details of my invention will be fully set forth hereinafter and thenovel features thereof will be defined in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this speciiicatioin'Figui-e l is avertical section of my improved automatic piano-player. Fig. 2 is a planview of the tracker or channel board. Fig. 3 is a view of a portion ofthe musicsheet. Eig. 4 is a det-ail sectional view showing a modifiedconstruction.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

The air or vacuum chamber l contains the key-pneumatics 2 andcommunicates through the ports 3 with the large pneumatics LL, havingthe fingers 5 thereon for operating the piano-keys (i. Each of the ports3 is normally closed by a valve '7, whose stem 8 is connected with thekey-pneumatic 2, as shown. Each of the key-pneumatics 2 communicatesthrough a passage 9 with an opening l0 in the upper surface of thetracker or channel board ll, over which passes the perforated musicsheetl2. The said music-sheet. is wound on one of the rolls 13 and unwoundfrom the other. perforatious lei 14, corresponding tothe music to beplayed, which perforations, as is usual in devices of this kind, areadapted to register with the proper openings l in the trackerboard ll.The air or vacuum chamber l also communicates through the wind -truuk lwith the low-pressure air-reservoir or bellows 16 through a port 17,controlled by a checkvalve 1S, which opens inwardly or toward thelow-pressure reservoir 16. The latter-that is, the low-pressurereservoir l--communi- Gates through the wind-trunk 19 with thehigh-pressure reservoir or bellows 20, the automatic valve 2l in thelow-pressure reservoir 16 controlling the passage through the trunk 19.The main or high-tension bellows 20 is in communication through ports 22with the feeding-bellows 23, the said ports 22 being controlled by aninwardly-opening checkvalve 24 and the feeders 23 being open to theatmosphere through the ports 25, having valves 26, controlling the same.Said feeders are operated from the pedals 27 through the link or pitman28, as shown.

Constructed as above described the apparatus will operate iu the usualmanner, all of the keys being actuated 'from the low-tension reservoir1G, and all of the notes will be struck with equal force.

My invention consists in forming in the tracker or channel board l() asupplemental passage 29 and in the music-sheet l2 supplementalaccentperforations 30, adapted to register with the passage 29, andmeans controlled by these parts for cutting off the lowpressurereservoir 1G from the air or Vacuum chamber l and cutting in thehigh-tension reservoir or bellows 20, so that the notes actuated therebywill be struck with greater force than those actuated from thelow-pressure reservoir 1G. ln the event of a number of notes beingstruck simultaneously the It is provided with the usual note! IOOnote-pertorations 31 in the music-sheet 12, corresponding to the notesto beaccented, are cut a short distance behind the othernotepertoratious and exactly opposite the accentperforations 30. rlhehigher air-tension operating the accented notes moves the pianohammersso much more quickly than the notes which are not accented that itresults in a simultaneous or practically simultaneous attack upon thestrings. 1n the first chord on the music-sheet12 (shown in 3 of thedrawings) the two slots 14I in advance oi the two slots 3l. registerfirst with the openings in the tracker-board 11. (Shown in Fig. 2.) Thepiano-bain mers are then moved, say, ouehalt' of the distance toward thepiano-strings. rlhe balance oi' the chord7 consisting of the slots 31,then register in conjunction with the accent-hole on the tracker-board.The pressure in the key-pneumatic chamber 1 is instantly raised todouble (by way of illustration) the tension obtaining when the firstkeys were acted upon. It will therefore be clear that these latter notesor, rather, the

hammers for striking the same will be acted upon with much greaterrapidity, overtaking the others. 1t is true that the high tension isalso acting upon the keys first struck; but they have progressed so farthat the efect of the high pressure is lost on them. The passage 29 atone end of the tracker or channel board 11 communicates with anaccent-controlling pneumatic 32, which has connected to the movable partthereof the stem 3S of a valve 34, normally closing the port 35 betweenthe air or vacu um chamber l and the passage 36, leading to thepneumatic 37 for the accent-valve 38. The said accent-valve 3811ermallycloses the port 39, leading from the main or high-tension bellows 20 tothe windtrunk e0, which communicates at its upper end with the air orvacuum chamber 1, and the stem 41 of said valve is connected to themovable part of the pneumatic 37.

Constructed as above described the operation of the device is asfollows: When an accentperforation 30 in the musicsheet 12 which liesopposite the note-perforation 31 on said sheet of the note to beaccented registers with the passage 29 in the tracker or channel board11, the pneu-matic 32 is infiated by atmospheric air as against the lowtension in the chamber 1 under the induence of the low-pressurereservoir 16. This causes the depression o1' the valve 34C and theopening of communication between the air orvacuum chamber 1 and thepneumatic 37 through the port 35 and the passage 36. The influence ofthe air-tension from the lowpressure reservoir 16 causes the deflationof the pneumatic 87, which serves to open the accentvalve 38 and opencommunication between the main or high-tension bellows 20 and the air orvacuum chamber 1 through the port 39 and the wind-trunk 10. rIhe tensionor pressure from the high-tension bellows 2O being greater than thatfrom the low-tension bellows 1 6 causes a quicker depression oi thekey-pneumatic @,correspondiug to the note on the music-sheet 12 oppositethe accent-perforation 30, and also causes the key corresponding to saidpneun'iatic 2 to be actuated with greater Force, and thus accent thesaine. As soon as the high-tension bellows 20 is open to communicationwith the air or vacuum chamber 1 the check-valve 1S is automaticallyclosed in order that a sudden change in the air-tension in the chamber 1may not be neutralized by the low-tension bellows 16.

By my apparatus I can have an accompaniment oi a fixed strength andproduce a crescendo in the melody by collapsing the hightensionbellowsO, as by working the pedals 27 more rapidly. The spiral spring 42in the bellows 2O exerts a greater force the more it is compressed. if",therefore, the feeders 2S are worked slowly, they will collapse thebellows 2O but very little. f, however, they are worked rapidly, thereis more air being taken from the bellows 20 than is being used throughthe wind-trunk 19 and the accent-valve 3S, and consequently with thevalve 21 in the low-pressure bellows closed the bellows 2O will collapsein proportion to the degree of force exerted by the feeders In thisrespect the bellows 2O and feeders 225 are identical in their actionwith the ordinary cabinet-organ bellows. The accented notes are feddirectly from the high-tension bellows and are cut in conjunction withthe accenthole and are perfectly independent ot' the low-tension bellows16 or the notes operated by it. Further1 I can have a melody or theme ota fixed strength and increase the power of the accompaniment bycollapsing the lowtension bellows 16 more fully-as, for instance, byopening an additional valve in communication with the high-tensionbellows 20, as illustrated in Figa of the drawings. An additionalwind-trun k is employed between the low-tension bellows 16 and thehightensicn bellows 20, and in this wind-trunk is mounted a slide-valvet. This is adapted to be operated by hand through the connections shown,consisting oi the hand-lever ai-, pitman 46, bell-crank lever e7, andlink e8, the latter connected to the stem of the valve all. After thevalve 21 is closed the low-tension bellows 16 may be still furthercompressed by the partial or complete opening ot' the slidevalve 51.4.The degree of its collapsing is governed bythe supply and demand.- Thekeypneumatics are making a constant demand on the bellows 16, whichdemand is supplied normally through the valve 21. it' the slidevalve-1-4 be opened, the collapsing ot' thebellows 16 is then not limited bythe valve 2l, but by said valve 4A, as by opening the latter Valve inexcess of the demand made by the key-pneumatics and supplied bythegoverning-valve 21 the bellows 1G may be collapsed to any desireddegree. The result is an in- IOO TIO

creased air-tension in the bellows 16 and a consequent increase in thestrength of the accompaniment.

It will be noted that myinvention depends for its successful operationupon the provision of two or more independent high and low tensionbellows each of which may be varied without reference to the other andin the means for cutting out one when the other is thrown intooperation.

The check-valve 18, which controls the passage through the port 17, isan important feature of t-he apparatus, as the instant an increase inthe tension takes place in the air or vacuum chamber 1 said valve isclosed and prevents the impulse from distributing the tension in thelow-tension bellows 16 and also from wasting itself by simply collapsingthe low-tension bellows, As the duration of the impulse is but afraction of a second, this is a matter of no small consideration.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic piano-player, the combination with a low-tensionbellows normally in communication with the air or vacuum chambercontaining the primary or key pneumatics, of a high-tension bellows, andmeans for throwing said high-tension bellows into communication withsaid chamber and simultaneously cutting off the low-tension bellowstherefrom. l

2. In an automatic piano-player, the combination with a low-tensionbellows normally in communication with the air or vacuum chambercontaining the primary or key pneumatics, of a high-tension bellows, andautomatic means for throwing said high-tension bellows intocommunication with said chamber and simultaneously cutting off thelowteusion bellows therefrom.

3. In an automatic piano-player, the combination with a low-tensionbellows, a windtrunk connecting said bellows with the air or vacuumchamber containing the primary or key pneumatics, and a normally-opencheckvalve controlling the passage through said wind-trunk, of ahigh-tension bellows, a wind trunk or passage connecting saidhigh-tension bellows with said chamber, a normally-closed accent-valvecontrolling the passage through the latter wind-trunk, and means foropening said accent-valve and simultaneously closing said check-valve,as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an automatic piano-player, the combination with a low-tensionbellows, a windtru n k connecting said bellows with the air or vacuumchamber containing the primary or key pneu matics, and a normally-opencheckvalve controlling the passage through said wind-trunk, of ahigh-tension bellows, a wind trunk or passage con necting saidhigh-tension bellows with said chamber, a normally-closed accent-valvecontrolling the passage through the latter wind-trunk, and automaticmeans for opening said accent-valve and sim ultaneously closing saidcheck-valve, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an automatic piano-player, the combination with the air or vacuumchamber containing the primary orkey pneumatics, a tracker or channelboard having a series of passages therein communicating, respectively,with the several key or primary pneumatics, and having a supplementalpassage therein, a low-tension bellows normally in communication withsaid airor vacuum chamber, and a normally-open check-valve controllingthe passage between said low-tension bellows and said chamber, of ahigh-tension bellows, a wind trunk or passage connecting saidhigh-tension bellows with said air or vacuum chamber, a normally-closedaccentvalve for controlling the passage through said wind-trunk, apneumatic for operating said accent-valve, a passage connecting theacentvalve-operating pneumatic with said air or vacuum chamber, a valvenormally closing said passage, and a pneumatic for actuating said valvecommunicating with the supplemental passage in said tracker or channelboard, whereby when said supplemental passage is uncovered by theregistration therewith of a slot in the music-sheet passing over saidtracker-board, said accent-valve will be opened and communicationbetween the lowtension bellowsand said air or vacu um chamber will besimultaneously closed.

6. In an automatic piano-player, the combina tion with a low-tensionbellows normally in communication with the air or vacuum chambercontaining the primary or key pneumatics, of a high-tension bellows,means for throwing said high-tension bellows into communication withsaid chamber and simultaneously cutting off the low-tension bellowstherefrom, and means for Varying the tension of either of said bellows.

7. In an automatic piano-player, the combination with a low-tensionbellows normally in communication with the air or vacuum chambercontaining the primary or key pneumatics, of a high-tension bellows,means for throwing said high-tension bellowsinto communication with saidchamber and means for automatically throwing said low-tension bellowsout of communication with said chamber when said high-tension bellows isthrown in, and vice versa, whereby one, only, of said high and lowtension bellows will be in ccmmuuication with said vacuum-chamber at thesame time.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses,

ERNEST M. SKINNER.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. WATERHOUSE, FRANK l?. HOLMES.

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